I'll Be Waiting For You
by LightningRei
Summary: It's been 500 years since Kagome died.


_Demons_ _don't_ _exist_ _in_ _this_ _time_ _anymore_.

Or so they say. It's true for the lines of demon blood to have died, whittled down by generations of half breeds, or been killed off, but throughout the entirety of Japan, there were obviously a few to have slipped through the cracks.

Inuyasha was one. A stubborn demon who lived for nearly 700 years. This time for a demon on an average lifespan was not surprising. But due to his demon blood mixed with human blood, his human lifespan was extended greatly, while his demon lifespan was heavily shortened. It left him in an unfortunate position all alone, far off from his partner.

Kagome Higurashi, a human girl born to live a life 500 years before she was actually born. The red string of fate had its way between her and Inuyasha, eventually leading them to get married after many heart throbbing adventures. Of course at first, their time was that of a dream. To be with your soulmate, two people from two different times joined together by true love. Though, as time slowly passed for Inuyasha, it quickly passed for Kagome. Despite living a long life well into the age of 93, life was not as expendable to her as it was to Inuyasha.

He only really began to understand the weight that time had on the both of them as Kagome moved into her 50s while Inuyasha looked barely out of his 20s. When the realization set in, he lived everyday with her as if it might be her last, and that he would be left alone for the rest of his empty life. In what seemed to be a blink of an eye, Inuyasha was hunched over Kagome's futon on the ground, holding her delicate and aged hand as heavy drops of tears dripped from his eyes. His crying was silent, wanting to be able to hear Kagome's last words.

"Inuyasha," she said, not louder than a whisper. "Live your life as life has it for you. You'll see me again when the time is right. I'll be waiting for you."

Time passed by so fast.

She struggled to reach up her other hand to Inuyasha's jaw, gently feeling his young looking face once last time as the life faded from her body. In that moment, she sounded just as she did when she were 15. That same voice that was full of life, even when there was none left in her. It constantly echoed in his head.

From then on, Inuyasha was truly alone. Sango and Miroku had both passed on at least 30 years prior to them. Shippo lost contact with them. Sesshomaru had been nowhere to be found as well, Inuyasha finding out at least 200 years later that he had been killed in a blaze of glory. No other details about it were given to him.

Despite the waves of loneliness that plagued him often as he had no one to confide in any longer, he used his time to reminisce about Kagome. Every moment he ached to be without her, but every time he ached, he knew that she believed in him to keep living the way he wanted, and he heard her wishes again. But the way he wanted to live was with her. So he never spoke to anyone again, leaving his old village to find a place so remote, it remained relatively untouched by humankind in all of his years of living there.

Even while isolated, he allowed himself to see time progress around him. Technology advanced, and the landscape around him changed. It was strange to watch his world slowly turn into Kagome's, and he wished that she were there with him to see it. He tried to adapt, but did not fend so well, only coming out from his home to buy a random object or decoration to brighten up his dull and rotten home to ease the pain in his heart just a little.

In his house resided a dusty mirror, in which he never looked in. He hated to check the progression of his aging, though he could definitely begin to feel it over time. There were two chairs that he would randomly sit in when he dictated that he was tired of sitting on the floor, placed in the middle of the one room home. On the floor was a mat that was falling apart at the weavings. Its once vibrant colors were washed out and barely able to be seen. Kagome's old bow was propped up in a corner, its wood rotten and too delicate to touch without falling apart. The last time Inuyasha barely grazed it, it bent out of place, making him too nervous to go near it in fear of destroying it for good. It was all he had left of her.

Pinned on the wall across from the entrance of his home was a kimono. It was a scarlet red, and had many patterns of flowers printed on it. After having pinned it up, it remained untouched.

_Kagome_ _would_ _have_ _loved_ _this_.

It was the only thing he could think of when he looked at it. It filled him with a warmth that reminded him of all the times he had spent near Kagome.

The half demon sat in a corner of his home, feeling more sluggish than he ever has been before.

"I'm tired," he whispered.

He lingered in silence for a long time, not knowing when he came back to his senses. Taking a deep breath, he struggled to get onto his feet. He held his Tessaiga firmly in his right hand, using it as a crutch to help him walk. He hadn't taken his sword out of his sheath for hundreds of years, knowing that if he did, he might have taken the opportunity to kill himself then and there to be with Kagome.

Inuyasha wobbled on his feet as he inched closer to the mirror on the other side of the room, hung up on a wall. It was impossible to see the glass through the thick layer of dust on it, so he took another deep breath and blew it all off.

The reflection was not someone who he could have ever recognized. A sagging old man, with lines on his face documenting the decay of his youth. His once golden eyes were a washed out yellow that lacked any energy in comparison to his glory days. His hair color was much more fitting to his age, and it was brittle looking, stringy, and weak. His skin was much paler than before. His once muscular physique was reduced into a pathetic, bony figure, only hidden by the ragged clothes he continued to wear. All he saw was a shadow of his former self, his dog ears too weak to even stand up straight anymore.

He just stared, not even blinking until he cracked a tiny smile and said, "I look just like you now, Kagome."

Inuyasha turned around to press his back on the wall, sliding down to the floor with that grin still on his face. He took in heavy breaths, then closed his eyes.

It was all dark.

"Inuyasha!"

His eyes flashed open to a place that just seemed to glow around him. He was still in the same position as when he fell asleep, but it didn't feel like he was sitting or leaning on something. Suddenly, he realized someone was in front of him. He craned up his head to see their face. At the sight, his face started to tremble and turn red, not hesitating to destroy the dam of tears he's held back for hundreds of years.

He got to his feet, matching her height, if not a bit taller.

"Kagome," his voice croaked out.

Kagome looked at him with the most relieved, most longing smile on her face. She didn't look a day over 25. Upon realizing this, he physically felt 25 too.

"I've been waiting for you…"

Inuyasha wasted no time hugging her as tight as she could. She hugged him back, nuzzling into the crook of his neck. It was a while before she pulled back, looking up at her husband's face.

"Are you ready to see everyone, Inuyasha?"

"Everyone?"

She nodded. "Miroku, Sango, Kaede, Shippo… even Kouga and Sesshomaru made it here too."

"Oh, great, Kouga and Sesshomaru."

Kagome chuckled, holding out her hand to him.

"I've missed you so much."

Inuyasha delicately took her hand.

"I missed you too."


End file.
